In medical treatment situations, it is sometimes necessary to physically restrain certain patients in order to provide protection for themselves and/or others. For example, adults and children having dementia, psychiatric or mental disorders, or other kinds of physical and/or mental problems may need to be restrained. In the past, these people have been physically restrained by using ties, straps or vests. However, the use of these kinds of restraints can cause severe discomfort and can impede emergency treatment. In addition, these kinds of restraints must frequently be removed during the day for a variety of reasons, such as to allow the person to exercise his or her muscles, or to clean or feed the person.
One alternative to using physical restraints involves the use of an enclosure bed. Typically, the enclosure bed includes a supporting framework and a knitted covering which is fitted over the sides and the top of the framework. The knitted covering is provided with zippered areas which can be readily opened and closed in order to provide access to the interior of the enclosure. Thus, the enclosure bed provides a more humane, safe and less restrictive environment for the person.
Unfortunately, a major problem with the use of such enclosure beds is the inability to move the enclosure bed after it is installed. Typically, specialized personnel must be called in so as to move the enclosure bed. In certain circumstances, the enclosure bed must be disassembled so that the hospital bed (on the interior of the enclosure bed) can be moved. In other circumstances, in order to move a patient from the enclosure bed to another location, the patient would have to be lifted and transferred to a mobile bed. The difficulty in actually moving the enclosure bed has discouraged the use of such enclosure beds.
In the past, various U.S. patents have issued relating to such enclosure beds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,387, issued on Feb. 10, 1987 to Bondy et al., teaches an enclosure for a bed which provides protection for patients. The enclosure is formed of a supporting framework and an associated covering provided with suitably arranged zippered areas for achieving access to the patient from the exterior of the enclosure. The frame of the enclosure bed has a rectangular structure which is designed so as to rest flatly upon a floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,925, issued on Jan. 31, 1995, to R. L. Vail, teaches an improved bed enclosure which is provided with a unique supporting structure which increases the vertical stability of the bed enclosure. The bed enclosure includes a frame having at least four upright side posts, each including an upper portion and a lower portion. The frame also includes upper frame support members interconnecting the upper portions of the side posts together and lower frame support members interconnecting the lower portions of the side posts together. The frame defines a pair of generally vertical side walls of a predetermined length and a pair of opposing end walls of a predetermined width. At least one support leg associated with each of the side walls is secured to the lower portion of the side posts and is engageable with the floor at a point spaced outwardly from the respective side wall. A bar extends in a horizontal orientation so as to rest flatly upon the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,732, issued on Jul. 28, 1998 to R. L. Vail describes another type of bed enclosure which is provided with a side rail which is movably mounted to the frame of the bed enclosure by a hinge assembly. The bed enclosure includes side posts having bottoms which support the enclosure directly upon the floor. The hospital bed is retained on the interior of the bed enclosure. The wheels of the hospital bed will reside independently upon the same floor upon which the bottoms of the side posts reside.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an enclosure bed which is mobile with the hospital bed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an enclosure bed that can be easily assembled and disassembled.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an enclosure bed which does not require specialized labor for movement or assembly.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an enclosure bed which facilitates the ability to install the mattress within the enclosure.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an enclosure bed which has a lower frame adapted to be connected to a standardized hospital bed frame.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.